


"Morphine and Bandages."

by suicidaltomlinson



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alcohol, Dancer!Liam, Dancer!Niall, M/M, Nurse!Zayn, Radiologist!Louis, Smut, also google was a help, dancer!harry, larry - Freeform, larry stylinson - Freeform, liam/harry/niall friendship, medical things, my mum is a nurse and i wanted to be one once upon a time and read things, past abuse in Louis' story, stuff that ive known for ages, triggers: beating and being put in a coma, ziam, ziam palik - Freeform, zouis friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-29 10:56:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6372064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suicidaltomlinson/pseuds/suicidaltomlinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn has four hours left before his shift ends, but he doesn't expect to meet the person who he’s going to spend the rest of his life with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Morphine and Bandages."

**Author's Note:**

> Any mistakes are my own, and I apologise. Anyway, enjoy. : )

Twenty hours down, four to go.

It feels like he’s been working this shift for twenty years, not twenty hours. It’s like everyone in London decided to somehow injure themselves or think they’re dying in some way, shape or form and it makes Zayn’s shift that little bit more stressful and his head hurt; it's lucky he has easy access to paracetomol. He can’t count how many broken noses he’s seen, he can’t count how many dislocated shoulders he’s popped back into place, and he can’t count how many gashes and abrasions he’s cleaned, glued, and stitched up or glued back together. And there’s always those people who think they’re dying when in reality, all they have is cold and should be in bed with several layers of clothing on, resting and sweating and drinking fluids to flush out the virus, it’s annoying, and it really clogs up his Emergency Room. He’s had the occasional worried mother cradling a baby or a toddler while said child would be crying out in pain; it’s always difficult to tend to a child that age because they can’t tell you where the pain is or what’s wrong. And then you get the person who has overdosed or has to have their stomach pumped because they went too crazy on their night out.

It’s a never ending cycle, but saying that, he loves his job, there are perks that come with, like, when he gets the patients who react amazingly when they’re doped up on morphine or any other pain killer, he’s had more proposals in one ten hour shift than his older sister has had in her entire life, and the money is decent too. It’s also very rewarding, knowing that he’s making a difference and helping the people who count on him the most and he goes home with a smile on his face, even though he's suffering from exhaustion that goes bone deep.

-x-

“Keep an eye on her until ten tonight and she should be fine; but if she begins to fall in and out of consciousness, bring her back in. And make sure you get a picture of her with that bump on her head, it’ll make a great picture for future birthdays,” Zayn laughs as he signs the paper for the two year olds discharge form. She had banged her head (from falling off her mother’s bed) hard on carpet covered concrete and her mother had rushed her to emergency. The mother laughs at what he says, thanks Zayn before gathering up her little girl and leaving. Another satisfied patient.

He sighs and drags a lethargic hand down his face. He can’t wait to go home so he can fall face first into his barely lived in bed so he can sleep for a thousand years, but he can’t exactly sleep for a thousand years because in thirty five hours he’ll be back here doing the same thing for another twenty four hours. He does his rounds, laughs with his patients, gives medical attention when needed and gives medicine when someone is in excruciating pain, and he'll say 'yes' to the occasional patient who asks him for his hand in marriage.  
“Ugh, for the love of God!” An Irish accent screams from one of the cubicles.

“Good evening,” he says upon entering, tearing the curtain back. “I’m Nurse Malik, but you can call me Zayn," he looks down at the manila folder in his hands, "and you’re Niall Horan and it seems you have dislocated your shoulder. How’d it happen?” He says looking at Niall’s file after taking a look at the lad laying in the bed. Niall tells him the story, all awhile fidgeting in pain, (he was playing rugby with his friends) and good, it matches the story he told the nurse who admitted him, you wouldn’t believe how many people lie, the fear of being mortified is always a worry for some unknown reason. The guy with dark roots looks at Zayn with pain in his blue eyes, Zayn sighs in sympathy for him, “if you want, I can give you a little morphine because it appears you've only had ibuprofen, or I can give you the whistle?” 

“Why do I need more painkillers?” And the question is clipped with pain.

Zayn laughs and places the folder in the slot at the end of the bed and gives his patient a pointed look. “Mate, if you wanna walk around London, one of the busiest cities in the world with a dislocated shoulder, then fine, be my guest, I get paid regardless, but if you wanna walk around London, pain _free_ with your shoulder in its socket,” Zayn crosses his arms across his chest and cocks his hip, “then I need to pop that joint so it’s back where it belongs. And either the gas and air or the a dose of morphine will help with the pain,” he says while walking over to a draw and clasping his fingers around what he’s about to give Niall.

“Fine. I'll have the whistle.” He mumbles.

Zayn smiles, “lovely, here…” And Zayn hands Niall a green tube. “Inhale and then exhale, through your mouth. Three to six should do it, and if you start to feel light headed, don't fight it, just pass out.”

Zayn waits for the drugs to kick in. It doesn’t take long and he giggles to himself when Niall begins to sing traditional Irish folk songs at the top of his lungs. Zayn walks over to his left, removes his shoe and takes Niall’s hand. He places his socked foot in Niall’s armpit and does a move that makes Niall cry out in pain but it doesn’t last long because Niall passes out as predicted – the first time he did that move and his patient passed out, he freaked out but then he used his head and realised it was because of the drugs – he slings his arm and shoulder, writes something down and waits for Niall to wake up so he can discharge him. He places his shoe back on, straightens out his pale blue scrubs and goes over to his desk. He'll have to talk to Niall about what he shouldn't do while his shoulder is wrapped, and it includes dancing.

Twenty one hours down, three more to go. Zayn sighs and walks over to his desk and picks up the next folder and looks at it.

Male, twenty two, healthy, and has either a dislocated, fractured or broken ankle. Zayn rolls his eyes, why aren’t people more fucking careful these days? Zayn gives the folder to the nurse so she can call him and assign him a cubical. He quickly goes to the toilet before attending to his next patient. He’s done in two minutes and goes to Bay Five where his ankle-man is waiting.

Zayn pulls back the curtain, his eyes are cast downwards as he goes straight for the folder in the slot at the end of the bed and looks at it more carefully then he did before. “Liam Payne?”

“Yes?”

The voice is oddly calming, it trickles like honey and Zayn wants to drown in it and he really wants to taste it. He looks up and his breath catches when he sees the most amazing looking man he's ever seen laying down in the hospital bed with his hands clasped in his lap. He looks tall even though he’s laying down, his chest seems to be solid and it’s wide which means his shoulders are wide and his back is probably sculpted perfection. He has a gorgeous shaped face with plump pink pillowy lips, a funny but cute shaped nose and his eyes are a soft brown which Zayn could stare in for eternity.

Zayn examines his body and Zayn’s mind flashes with presumptuous predicaments that are not safe for work because it involves Zayn riding him so hard they both cum and pass out from the onslaught; a hard on is not what he needs right now, he can’t even remember the last time he got laid. He rakes his own hazel eyes down Liam’s body and his eyes widen when he sees why Liam has landed himself in A&E. Liam’s ankle is badly bruised, it’s like someone had eaten only the red, purple, yellow, and green skittles and then proceeded to throw up on Liam’s foot.

“I'm Nurse Malik, but you can call me Zayn, and I would ask what brings you here, but, I can see why, how did you manage this?”

Liam blushes and lifts himself up with his arms and Zayn wants those arms holding him up against a wall while Liam and him make out. The thought makes a shiver run down Zayn’s spine.“I’m just, clumsy.”

“It's true,” a voice says. Zayn looks behind him and is again, presented with another gorgeous specimen of the human race. Tall, green eyes, gorgeous smile, he has a mess of chocolate curls on his head which are tamed with a floral scarf and when he smiles, there’s a fucking dimple. Zayn hopes this guy likes guys because he’s perfect for Louis. Definitely noted. “He really is just clumsy.”

"Shut up, Haz,” Liam quips indignantly.

Zayn laughs, “don’t worry, we’re all a little bit clumsy.”

The stranger laughs deep in his chest before he sticks out his hand, “I’m Harry. Harry Styles, Liam’s best friend and roommate and he’s single.”

“Harry!” Liam’s strained voice comes. Zayn turns to the sex God on the bed and smirks, which makes Liam blush a pretty pink colour.

Zayn laughs and writes something down on the file. “Okay then, um, you’ve already had five mils of morphine upon arrival which is obviously doing the trick because you don’t seem to be in any pain,” Zayn looks up and gives Liam a kind smile. Zayn walks over the side and grabs a pair of purple latex gloves. “Do you think you’ve broken it?”

Liam shakes his head, “no, I mean, I didn’t hear a crack when it happened.”

“Well,” Zayn finishes putting on the gloves and walks to the end of the bed, he begins to examine the appendage carefully, because the last thing he wants is to hurt Liam further. “if you didn’t hear a crack, it’s probably not broken,” he goes back to the folder and reads through it, “you know, if you’re this clumsy, you shouldn’t be a dancer.” He quips behind a smile.

“Oh, I didn’t do this dancing.”

Zayn nods his head, “I know, it appears you missed the last step at the bottom of the stairs,” Zayn looks up and gives the clumsy dancer a wide smile, “we’ve all done it.” He shrugs and looks back down to the folder “and then proceeded to fall down a curb because you weren’t looking where you were going, and then finished it off by tripping over your own foot while playing football and also you dropped a bowling ball on it last night. Jesus Liam,” Zayn muses with a breathless kinda laugh, “you should come with a bloody health warning.” Harry laughs along with Zayn, Liam doesn’t look amused. “It probably isn’t broken, but I’ll send you for x-rays just in case and we’ll see what’s going on.” Zayn gives him a kind smile, places the folder back in the slot at the end of the bed, removes his gloves before binning them and then he leaves the cubical to call Radiology to let them know he’s sending up his patient. He steps back in after he’s finished his call, he obviously intrudes when he does because the boys stop their heated discussion, “Mr. Styles, are you okay to take Mr. Payne to radiology for his x-rays?”

Liam and Harry look at each other and frown at the formality. “Okay, first of all, stop with the formalities; we’re Harry and Liam, not Mr. Styles and Mr. Payne. And secondly, yes, I will take him.”

Zayn laughs, “okay, I’ll grab you a wheel chair, just come back down when you’re done, your results should be done in thirty minutes.” Harry and Liam nod their heads and Zayn smiles before shuffling out to get them a wheelchair. When the curtain is closed, Zayn hears Liam whine, “I don’t want a wheel chair Haz, it’s embarrassing.” Zayn sighs, typical male. Instead of a wheel chair, Zayn grabs some crutches and then makes his way back to Liam.

“First of all, there’s nothing wrong with a wheel chair,” Zayn muses. Harry snorts and Liam blushes, “but because you’re nice and I want to help you keep your ego and dignity intact, here…” And then he hands Liam the crutches.

Liam opens his mouth to say something but Zayn holds up his hand, “don’t mention it. Radiology is on the fourth floor, follow the directions and you shouldn’t get lost. Now hurry, they’re waiting for you and Harry?”

Harry turns around and raises his eyebrows in curiosity, “um, tell me if I’m stepping out of line here, but um, do you happen to have a preference on the sex of a person you date?”  
Liam laughs from behind them, and Harry smiles, “yes, I prefer the male gender.”

Zayn bites his lip and tries not to squeal. “Great, um. Let me know how it goes..”

Harry doesn’t get to say anything more because Zayn is shooing them away. While they’re gone, he does a round of rounds. He discharges some people and admits some others. He even sends a woman to Woman's and Children's because she was in early stages of labour, she thought it was really bad stomach cramps. By the time he comes to Bay Five again, Liam is laying in the bed with a A3 manila envelope resting in his lap, and no Harry. Zayn smirks knowingly.

“Where’s Harry?” He asks walking into the cubicle and taking the over sized envelop from Liam’s hands.

“Well, he abandoned me to get jell-o with a spitfire of a radiologist called Louis. Thanks to you.” Zayn can’t tell if Liam is being sarcastic or serious.

“Um, I’m sorry?” He's not sorry.

Liam rolls his eyes, “no, it’s okay. Don't worry, it’s about time he found someone, it’s been a while since his last boyfriend.”

Zayn smiles, “same with Louis, this really isn’t my place, but, his last relationship wasn’t, you know..” Zayn takes the x-rays out of the envelop and holds them up to the light. Just as he suspected.

“Okay Liam, your ankle has a really significant bone bruise and a minor sprain, and it's actually out of its socket a little, somehow it’s managed to pop out, so, unfortunately, I need to pop it back in and that in itself can be painful. Are you in any pain?”

Liam shakes his head, but Zayn rolls his eyes “Li, please don't lie to me.” He asks because the last thing he wants to do is hurt Liam futher. The nurse then blushes when he realises what he had just done, he just called his patient by a nickname and that has never happened before.

“I promise Zee, I’m in no pain.” Liam smirks when he drops the nickname, ugh, Zayn is in big trouble.

“That’s strange, considering you were walking on it, but okay, I can give you something extra if you want it?”

Liam nods his head, “sure, and could you maybe get Harry for me?”

Zayn smiles and nods his head, “of course, I’ll be right back.”

Liam sighs in contentment and lays back into the pillows. Zayn doesn’t know why he’s going out of his way to make his patients happy, he wouldn’t do it for anyone else, well he would, but going down to the canteen and finding his patients best friend for his comfort, it’s something new to Zayn and he thinks he’d walk to the end of the world if it meant making Liam happy.

He walks in and it’s actually quite empty for a Tuesday night. But in the corner, he can see his best friend, laughing cutely and fluttering his eyelashes, dressed in his scrubs getting cosy with a boy who is not in scrubs. It’s Harry, Zayn actually didn't notice what Harry had on when he met him earlier. He’s wearing black skin tight jeans, a pair of worn out brown boots, and a light navy shirt covered with white hearts. Zayn smiles, it’s nice, Louis’ last relationship was killing him, Zayn can’t even count how many times Louis had ended up in his emergency room with bruises, cuts, fractures, bruised and broken ribs. Zayn decided to put a end to it the next time Louis ended up in A&E, the last straw was when Louis was rushed into emergency with a dislocated mandible (his jaw) and Zayn had walked straight out of the cubicle and sent someone else to tend to Louis while he called the police, so they could take Louis’ statement and Zayn’s, along with Louis’ hospital file before they arrested Louis’ now ex boyfriend. He was charged with domestic abuse, reckless endangerment and assault with a deadly weapon, which caused Louis to be put in a medically induced coma after being in surgery to fix his ruptured spleen. It was the worst two years of Louis’ and Zayn’s life.

He walks over to the two of them, he really hates to interrupt but Liam wants Harry by his side and it’s understandable, Louis wanted Zayn by his side all of the time when he was in hospital.

He clears his throat when he nears the two of them and they snap their heads up towards him. Louis looks annoyed, lips in a thin line and his blue eyes narrowed like he's planning Zayn's death, it wasn’t Zayn’s fault that he had to cut what seemed to be heated discussion short, if looks could kill, Zayn would be dead. Harry looks disappointed but he perks up at the same time, obviously thinking about Liam.

“Is he okay?” Are the first words out of his mouth when he sees Zayn.

 

Zayn laughs, “yeah, he’s fine. I have to pop his ankle back in the joint, he dislocated it somehow," Zayn shrugs. "He wants you there with him.”

Harry nods his head, “okay.” And then he turns to Louis and gives Louis the most amazing smile Zayn has ever seen. He looks at Louis himself and fuck, Louis is literally falling in love in front of his very eyes. The gaze becomes too much for Zayn but he glances once more and Harry picks Louis' small hand up and brings it to his lips to press and kiss to the back of his hand, and Louis is captivated by the sentiment and Zayn's stomach swoops so he begins to walk away and he hears Harry say “I’ll call you tomorrow.” And then Zayn can feel Harry walking beside him, and because he’s the protective best friend and he'll do anything in his power to make sure there's no repeat of Louis' last relationship, Zayn finds himself saying, in his most persuasive voice, “you better call him.”

-x-

“Oh, my illusive best friend appears, thanks for ditching me, dog!” Liam spits.

Harry laughs, and so does Zayn because Liam is as menacing as a puppy bearing their teeth and growling. “Get over yourself Liam, I was just talking to Louis. He’s freaking amazing.”

Zayn smiles to himself when he hears that, his best friend is an amazing person and he needs to be told, having his ex telling him he was everything apart from ‘amazing,' it’s much needed, Louis is kind, caring, loud, and he has a heart of gold and will walk to the end of the world if you need something, especially for his family. Zayn walks over to the side and pulls another green whistle out. He gives Liam the whistle and Liam looks at it with sceptical eyes.

“Inhale and exhale through your mouth, okay, nice deep breaths, three to six is good and when I can see it working, I’ll do my thing, okay?”

Liam nods and lifts the whistle to him lips. He gives it a great big suck and Zayn looks away because Jesus, warn a guy. Once he’s in the right head space and has collected his thoughts – he’s making sure they’re away from Liam sucking on that fucking whistle – he turns back to Liam and he can tell immediately Liam’s high as a kite. Zayn walks over to the set of draws and pulls out some gloves and then walks over to Harry; “if he passes out suddenly, don’t panic.”

“I feel funny,” Liam slurs. Zayn laughs and looks at Harry who is starring wide eye at Liam.

“I’ve never seen him like this,” Harry says while he watches Liam pull at his t-shirt to poke his tummy, Zayn has to look away because it’s a fine stomach and Zayn wants to bite it and to dip his tongue into his belly button. And then Harry jumps when Liam laughs out loud for nothing. “Um, would you judge me if I recorded this?”

Zayn shakes his head, “no. You’re not the only one who does.”

Harry fishes his phone out just in time because Liam makes a fool out of himself.

“Haz, he’s so pretty,” Liam says when his head lolls to the side, “why is he so pretty?”

Zayn laughs and walks to the end of the bed. “Liam, I’m about to pop it back in, are you ready??”

“You’re so pretty Zaynie,” he giggles.

Zayn shakes his head, smiling the whole time. “Thank you.” Zayn grips Liam’s ankle, “Liam, can you take a big deep breath for me?” Liam nods his head and does as he’s told while popping the whistle in between his lips. Zayn pulls the appendage and moves it to the right. Liam cries out in pain and it tugs on the nurses heart strings, Zayn wishes he could apologize but it’s his job. He wraps it and looks up at Liam and his heart breaks when he sees tears in Liam’s brown soft eyes.

He whimpers when he looks at Zayn, “you hurt me.”

Zayn bites his lip and gets busy strapping Liam's ankle before he removes his gloves, he quickly tosses them in the bin before going to the side of Liam’s bed. He runs his fingers through Liam’s newly grown hair and smiles gently. “I didn’t mean to, but your ankle is back where it belongs and you can go home later on tonight.”

“But I don’t wanna go home, I wanna stay here, with you.” Pain forgotten for a split second before he passes out. Zayn smiles and takes a proper look at Liam’s face. He can see a smattering of freckles over his cheeks and nose. His eyelashes fan over his orbital bones and his lips are a little chapped and bitten slightly, but they form a perfect cupids bow. He’s so beautiful and Zayn can feel himself falling in love.

He’s shaken from his stare when he hears a familiar throat being cleared. He looks up, cheeks bright, and Harry and Louis are standing there. “Oh dear Mr. Malik, you’re in trouble.”

“Shut up Tomlinson.” He quips and then looks at Harry, “hopefully he’ll wake up before my shift ends; I’ll need to talk to him about what he can and can’t do and what he needs to do.”

And then he shuffles past them and when he’s half way to the staff room, he can hear them laughing and he decides he needs new friends. Twenty three hours down, one to go. He walks in the staff room and it’s littered with a few of his colleagues, it’s just a tiled room with a few tatty couches, a vending machine, a table, a fridge, and a coffee machine which he makes a bee line for.

“How’s it going Malik?” Comes a voice.

Zayn rolls his eyes, “just peachy,” the nurse scoffs, “but it’s going to be even peachier when I get a cuppa coffee down my neck Edwards!” He says pressing the button for black coffee.

“Zee, what’s up?”

Zayn sighs and turns around, circling his neck so it stretches. He’s so tired, he just wants to sleep. And his feelings for Liam aren’t helping, for fucks sake, he’s known the clutz for a mere three hours; how can this be happening to him?

“Well,” he begins indignantly, “I’ve somehow managed to fall in love in the last three hours and I don’t know how it happened. I also managed to fix Louis up with the love of my life’s best friend, and you know how much he needs this, Harry is an amazing person and I think he’ll be good for Louis. But I’ve fallen in love. Fallen in love with a patient for fucks sake. I’m supposed to be discharging him when he wakes up, what the hell am I going to do?”

Perrie’s eyes soften and she stands up from where she’s sitting and walks over to him. “Tell him how you feel.” It’s simple and to the point.  
“Any other options?” Zayn’s asks, hopeful. 

Perrie thinks before she smiles, “your shift ends in an hour, get his number and then ask him out. Simple.”

She’s right. “You’re right.”

-x-

Zayn picks up his coffee and buys a Snickers from the vending machine before wandering back to Liam. He takes a deep breath and pulls the baby blue curtain back and his heart stops because Liam isn't laying in his bed! Zayn blinks and goes to his desk. There’s no sign of Liam’s discharge papers and what the hell is going on? He goes to the centre desk and spots Jade, hunched over a clip board, glasses on, hair in a messy bun, scrubs fitting tightly. She’s writing something down with a focused expression on her face. He takes a sip of his coffee and walks over to her.

“Jade, um, do you have any idea where my ankle patient as gone?”

Jade looks up at him, “Cubicle Five?” Zayn nods his head. “Nope.”

“What the fuck? I didn’t discharge him and he’s not his the cubicle. Where the hell is he?”

Jade laughs, “maybe he’s in the loo babe?”

Zayn rolls his eyes and walks over to his desk to set his coffee and chocolate bar down so he can go to the men’s loos to see if Liam is in there. He walks over to them and pushes the door and steps into the sterile white bathroom, he takes a quick look around and his stomach drops and heart stutters in its chest when he sees a lifeless body in one of the cubicles. Zayn gasps and sticks his head back out of the door and literally screams, “CAN I GET SOME HELP IN HERE PLEASE?!?!?!?!” and then he rushes over to the door and curses when he sees it’s locked. He kicks it open, adrenaline taking over him and he nearly bursts into tears when he sees Liam’s unconscious body.  
“Liam!?” Zayn gets to his knees. “Liam, can you hear me?” Slapping his cheek to get him to wake up but when he doesn’t react, Zayn sticks two fingers where his pulse would be on his neck and sighs in relief when he can feel a slow but steady pulse below his fingers. He gets his light from his pocket and lifts Liam’s eye lids, shining the light and thanking the Lord when his pupils react to the light. Zayn moves out of the way when he hears the help come through the door and Zayn worries his lip bottom lip between his teeth when he watches the on-call nurses rush past him with the equipment they’ll need to tend to Liam.

Zayn runs out of the toilets and immediately goes to the canteen to see if Harry is there. He is and Zayn runs to him, sweat collecting on his brow because it’s a fair way. He runs in, towards Harry and Louis, resting his palms on his knees, catching his breath. He stands back up, “Harry!”

Harry’s head snaps up and his eyes widen. “Zayn, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Liam.” And then the two of them bolt back up stairs to Liam’s side.

-x-

Turns out, Liam’s allergic to Penthrox, or Methoxyflurane, the medicine in the green whistle. If Zayn would of known that, he wouldn’t of given it to Liam, but he didn’t and he’s only just found out so he isn’t to blame; normally if someone is allergic to any sort of medication or pain relief, it’s written down on their admission form. He still feels horrible though. Liam was unconscious for seven hours after he was given the right medication to cure him of his reaction. He woke up for a mere five seconds before he passed out.  
Zayn stayed by his side, holding his hand and brushing away the hair that had fallen in his face, he also checked his obs several times, but that’s the nurse in him. He was napping with his head resting against Liam’s bed when Harry walked in.

“Zee?!” He was being shaken by the shoulder gently. He opened his eyes lethargically and snapped his head up and looked towards Liam who was still ‘asleep.’ He blinked and then turned towards the person who said his name. “Go home yeah?”

Zayn shakes his head stubbornly. He’s been at Liam’s bedside since his shift ended; which was six hours ago. He doesn’t want to go home, what if Liam wakes up while he’s sleeping or eating at home? Nope, he’s not chancing it. “No, what if he wakes up?”

Harry sighs, “I’ll call you if he does, you need to go home and get some sleep, and to eat something and to shower.”

Zayn smiles tiredly, and he ignores the way Harry looks at him a little sadly. “I don’t know.” Zayn is looking at Liam when he says this so he misses the way Harry looks at him.  
“You fell for him rather quickly didn’t you?” Harry says as he sits down in the chair opposite with two take-away coffee cups in his massive hand, he only seems to remember he has them when his arse hits the chair. He smiles gently at him and hands one over, Zayn wants to know how he knew how he likes his coffee but he probably asked Louis. Zayn watches Harry take a slow sip and then finally asks, “what would you of done if he was straight and had a girlfriend?”

Zayn shrugs and takes a sip of his own coffee, it’s so good, and he didn't know how much he needed it until the liquid touched his lips. “I don’t know.” He turns to look at Liam’s sleeping form, the wires tied to him, monitoring him, machines beeping and Zayn should be used to this, he’s a nurse for Christs sake but it’s a different feeling and sight when it’s someone you care about on the end of those wires. “I probably would of fallen for him either way and then moped around, because I couldn't have what I wanted.”

Harry gives a pretty giggle, “so dramatic.”

“You’re going to be dating Louis, you haven’t even seen dramatic yet.”

“He’s told me you know, about what happened,” Harry leans forward, “I promise you, I will never hurt him the way that lowlife did. It makes me sick to my stomach thinking someone would hurt Louis in that way. I’d die before I let anything happen to him, you have my word.”

“It’s that serious then? Even after seven hours?”

Harry blushes to the tips of his ears and all down his neck, “I’ve waited a very long time for someone like Louis to come into my life and now that he’s here, I’m never letting him go.”

With Harry’s words floating around his head, he looks back at Liam. Maybe a few hours sleep and a shower isn’t the end of the world. “You promise you’ll call me when he wakes up?”

Harry nods his head and crosses his heart; “promise.”

-x-

Zayn’s apartment is nothing special but he loves it; an open plan kitchen, dining room and living room with floor to ceiling windows. Two bedrooms – one of the bedrooms has a balcony, which is Zayn’s room – are pushed in the back and there’s a bathroom and a laundry room. It’s his home and it’s scattered with bits of him and his family. Art work that he’s created on one of his rare days off, photo’s that he’s taken of his friends and of his family get togethers. There’re clothes scattered over the living room, drying because it’s way too cold to put them outside, there are a few dishes in the sink. It’s lived in and he loves it.

He walks in and throws his keys on the coffee table, he puts his hand in his bag and pulls out his phone before he chucks his bag on the couch, he drags himself to his bedroom to put his phone on charge before padding towards the bathroom. He undresses, throwing his clothes in the laundry hamper in the corner before turning on the shower. He steps under the water and closes his eyes, the feeling of the hot water relaxing his muscles is delicious. He washes his hair quickly and makes quick work of cleaning his being before stepping out and slinging a towel around his waist and walking to his bedroom. He looks at his bed and he can’t even remember when he last slept in it but it’s calling his name. He quickly runs the towel over his body and his hair before he literally falls in his bed; he’s asleep before his head hits the pillow.

-x-

There’s an obnoxious noise disturbing his sleep and it’s so loud, it's making his brain rattle!! He turns over, he’s still half asleep and nobody should be calling him because it’s his day off and he isn’t even on call. He leans over tiredly and clasps his fingers around the ringing device and answers it without looking at caller ID. “’Lo?”

“Wow, that is one sexy morning voice Malik.”

Zayn’s a little more awake because nobody calls him Malik except Perrie and Perrie isn’t the one who’s on the other end of the phone. “Who‘s this?”

There’s a chuckle before the voice says, “it’s Harry.”

Harry? Zayn doesn’t know a Harry. He’s about to ask this person how he got his number but then he remembers and he’s suddenly a lot more awake, sitting up and gripping his phone. “Harry, is Liam awake?”

“Yeah, has been for a few hours.”

A few-? “A few hours? Harry you said you’d call me if he woke up.”

“I was going to, but Liam told me to let you sleep.”

Zayn bites his lip and blushes. “Really?”

Harry laughs, it’s raspy and like honey. “Yes, look, come down when you’re ready okay? There's no rush.” Harry seems very adamant that Zayn doesn't rush, but, he doesn't care, he can be as quick as he pleases.

“Okay.” He hangs up and goes about getting ready, rushing around like a headless chicken as he hops into his jeans and attempts to eat a piece of toast while trying to put his t-shirt on. He's putting on his other shoe as he makes his way to the door, gathering his wallet, keys, and phone as he goes. He's out the door in fifteen minutes, and he's surprised because when he was in Uni, he never managed to get ready that fast.

-x-

It’s weird being at the hospital when he isn't working. He could be doing a thousand, (well not a thousand, but details) other things right now, like sleeping, catching up on _Keeping Up with the Kardashians ___, or calling his mother, but none of that is on his mind at the moment because all he can think about is Liam while walking down the stark white halls of the hospital. He knows where he’s going and it doesn't take long before he’s standing outside of Liam’s hospital room. He takes a deep breath and makes sure his clothes are straight; he’s wearing a pair of washed out blue jeans and a batman t-shirt with a pair of Nike trainers, he also threw on a leather jacket because, it’s England, and the weather is bi-polar. He rakes his fingers through his hair which is product free and laying limp and soft on his forehead. He knocks on the door and he hears a soft “come in.” So he does.

_Liam is sitting up in bed with his fingers wrapped around a comic. It’s weird but the horrid hospital gown he’s wearing kind of suits him, his eyes look tired but they shine and brighten when Zayn walks in. His smile is blinding, like he isn’t sitting in hospital because of a near fatal allergic reaction; Zayn shivers at the thought of losing him, what if Zayn had not gone looking for him? He shakes his head and walks over to the foot of the bed and wraps his fingers around Liam’s folder._

_“Are you supposed to be reading that?” Liam says and it’s playful, like Liam felt the need to break the tension._

_Zayn smiles and looks up at him, “not technically, but remember, I’m a nurse.”_

_Liam smiles and puts the comic he’s reading down to one side. “How does everything look?”_

_Zayn nods his head, “good, everything is good.” And then he puts the folder down and stands there. “Um…” He rubs the back of his neck, “where’s Harry?”_

_“He left to go and get me some things from home, he left about thirty minutes ago.’’ It shouldn't be this awkward. “How are you?”_

_Zayn bites his lip and shrugs, “meh.”_

_Liam frowns, “are you okay?”_

_“Look, I’m sorry…”_

_Liam frowns again and cuts Zayn off, “sorry for what?”_

_“If I had known you were allergic to Methoxyflurane I would of never administered the green whistle, I’m so sorry.”_

_“Zay-?” And then he cuts himself off and shakes his head like he can't believe what Zayn is saying. Zayn looks at the floor harder, Liam sounds scandalized. “Come here!”_

_Zayn bites his lip and pads over to Liam’s bedside. Liam pats the bed, signalling Zayn to sit down. He does and plays with a loose piece of threat coming from the rips in his jeans.  
“Look at me.” Zayn swallows the lump in his throat and lifts his gaze so it connects with Liam’s and God, he is so beautiful. “You didn’t know I was allergic to Methox-whatever. I didn’t even know I was allergic to it. You have nothing to be sorry for, okay?” And Liam lifts his hand and rubs a thumb across Zayn’s cheekbone. Because Zayn is pathetically head over tit, he leans into the touch._

_“Okay.”_

_Liam smiles and Zayn’s breath catches in his throat. Zayn blinks and tries to calm down his beating heart to a healthy pace. “Um, listen, about your ankle, you may need a little physio and I don’t think you should dance for a little while either.” Liam looks like a kicked puppy after Zayn has finished telling him and Zayn doesn't like the way his face is contorting in worry._

_“Please, please tell me you’re kidding?”_

_“No, of course not, why?”_

_Liam gulps, “my end of term performance is coming up.”_

_Zayn winces, “when’s that?”_

_“In six weeks.”_

_Zayn sighs and bites his lip. “I’m sorry babe, but unless a miracle happens, you won’t be dancing.”_

_“Fuck.”_

_-x-_

_After Liam had time to process the fact that he may not be able to dance for his end of term performance, Liam and Zayn get down to talking; they get to know each other. Zayn tells Liam about his life back home in Bradford, about his mothers cooking and tells Liam (“you wait until you taste it, my mum is the best cook ever!!”) and Liam had blushed to the tips of his ears. He also tells Liam about his Uni years, meeting Louis and moving from Bradford to London. They have things in common, their music taste, their favourite food – Subway – and their love for everything Marvel and DC. Zayn had also told Liam is coming out story and how his mother and father reacted._

_Liam tells Zayn about Wolverhampton, where he grew up and tells him about his family, he also told Zayn his coming out story and also tells Zayn about his girlfriends before he realised he was in fact, attracted to the opposite sex. And of course, Liam’s love for dancing and his journey to being accepted into the Royal Academy of Dance.  
Liam Payne is an amazing human being who dances for charity and who does volunteer work and actually works; he teaches dance (but he'd have to call his other best friend Sophia to step in and take over his classes while he sits in the corner and watches over his class getting ready for their own performance) and if Zayn wasn’t in love before (but he’s pretty sure he was) is definitely is now._

_-x-_

_Liam is discharged the next day and Zayn goes home with a heavy heart because he didn't get Liam’s number. He goes back to work after his day off, he didn’t do much, just slept and ate his weight in Rocky Road ice cream and watched a few DVD’s from his sappy romantic collection that he only saves for his nights in with Louis or when he’s heartbroken and needs to cry._

_He drags himself to the staff room lethargically, too upset to even drag his eyes off the floor. He had thought about Liam since he fell on to his couch after he got home from the hospital. He had told Liam about his physio, and told him not to walk or dance on his sore ankle, telling him to use crutches and to rest it whenever he could. Zayn could tell Liam was listening to every word he spoke._

_When he got to the staff room, Louis, Perrie, and Jade were lounging around, talking amongst themselves, Louis was probably gloating about Harry. He walks straight past them to his locker, placing his bag and coat in the hunk of metal, before closing it shut and making his way to the coffee machine._

_"Best first date I have ever had!"_

_Zayn rolls his eyes to the high heavens, stupid Louis, stupid Harry, stupid fucking first date. He presses the button for plain black coffee and crosses his arms over his chest, waiting for the paper cup to fill up._

_"How was your day off Malik?" Perrie says with her mouth full._

_Zayn grimaces and turns around, coffee in hand. He shrugs, "it was okay, I guess."_

_Louis laughs, all crinkly eyed and loud, smile blinding and perfect white teeth showing, "in other words, he wallowed in self pity with his head in a tub of ice cream."_

_Zayn groans and flips his former best friend off before leaving the staff room to start his shift. And to find a new best friend, because Louis is an arse who likes to gloat about boys with curly hair, green eyes, and a blinding smile that homes its very own dimple._

_-x-_

_Twelve hours into his shift, and he's due for a break. His ER was packed to the sky, not to mention he had to lend a helping hand to the doctors when two car crash emergencies came in. He goes back to the staff room to get his wallet but stops when he sees Louis there, on the phone, massive smile on his face, eyes shining beautiful and he knows right away the radiologist is on the phone to Harry._

_"Yeah, actually, he just walked in."_

_Zayn ignores him and goes to his locker, opening it to remove his wallet from his bag before closing it again. "I'm going out to get something to eat, wanna come?"  
Louis nods his head and gets up, his pale blue scrubs hanging off his frame. He and Louis make their way to the front of the hospital, and head out to walk the busy sidewalks of London. Louis is still yakking away on his phone, smile permanently attached to his face._

_"Yeah, okay, be right there. Bye."_

_"You'll be right where Lou?" Zayn asks indignantly, while looking at Louis with a raised eyebrow._

_Louis smiles so his eyes crinkle, and Zayn's got to admit, it's lovely to see Louis smile like that, like his life is worth living again. "I'm meeting Harry, you wanna come with?"  
"I'm hungry." Zayn whines._

_Louis rolls his eyes, "he's at that cafe you love, c'mon."_

_Zayn huffs and just follows him. Weaving in and out of the people walking to and from work. To annoyed to fight with him, he's hungry and thirsty, and itching for a smoke; started smoking in his final years on Uni, the stress of his exams and placement had him nearly tearing his hair out, and he knows he shouldn’t smoke, but sometimes it’s needed._

_-x-_

_When he walks into the cafe, it's warm and smells of coffee and home cooked food. He makes a bee-line for the counter and orders what he normally gets when he comes here; a chicken and avocado sandwich with a mango and banana smoothie; he likes consistency. He waits for his food while Louis orders his. Zayn is in his own little world, thinking of Liam actually, but he's dragged away from their pending wedding when he feels a tap on his shoulder. He lets out a quiet huff before turning around. He's going to tell the person to kindly go away but the words get caught when he comes face to face with the face that fills his dreams._

_"Liam?"_

_Liam smiles and it's so wide and beautiful, Zayn has a hard time breathing. "Hi Zee."_

_Zayn smiles and just looks over Liam. He's wearing his own Batman t-shirt with a pair of black jeans with a red plaid shirt wrapped around his waist and a single Doc Marten adorns one foot while the other foot as one of those ugly moon boots on it. Some people forgo the crutches when they have the boot on, which is stupid because it makes the healing time slow, but he's happy to see Liam is using the crutches Zayn gave him last week. Someone who listens to medical vice happens to make Zayn feel superior._

_"Zayn Malik?"_

_Zayn turns around and sees the person behind the counter holding his food and drink. He smiles and mutters a quick 'thank you' before he takes them off her and turning back to Liam. "How are you?"_

_Liam nods his head, "yeah, I'm good. Physio is good and I'm making progress. Andy said that hopefully, I'll be able to do my performance and get back to teaching my kids."  
Zayn smiles, "that's great Li, I know how sad you were when I told you couldn't dance for a while."_

_Liam blushes, "um, do you wanna come and join me and Larry? I don't like being the third wheel."_

_Zayn frowns in confusion, "Larry?"_

_Liam giggles, "Louis and Harry, that's what I've been calling them. They're so gross!"_

_Zayn laughs and nods his head, "sure, I'd love to. But I have to be back at the hospital in an hour." He says look down at the watch that is attached to his scrubs._

_"That's fine." And then Liam turns around and makes his way back to where Louis and Harry are sitting, engrossed in each other, both of them adorning dopey smiles on their faces. Ugh._

_"Fucking hell, your heart eyes can probably be seen from Ireland. Stop it!" Zayn mutters to the pair when he sits down, waving his hand in-between them to make them snap out of their trance._

_"Speaking of Ireland," Harry says as he turns towards Zayn, who has just taken a bite out of his sandwich. It's so good and he can't remember when he last had this sandwich. "My friend Niall was in your ward the same time as Liam was."_

_"Niall Horan?" Zayn speaks with his mouthful. Louis grimaces and Liam laughs._

_Harry also laughs and nods his head, "yeah, I was kinda floating between him and Liam."_

_Zayn picks up his smoothie and takes a large sip, "I never saw you with Niall."_

_"Well, Niall was already fixed up by the time I came with Liam, so I saw him before you discharged him."_

_Zayn nods his head, "how's his shoulder?"_

_"Good. He pissed he can't dance, but.."_

_Zayn's eyes widen, "he's a dancer too?" Which makes sense because it was actually on his file, but Zayn was too tired to put two and two together._

_Harry nods, "so am I."_

_Louis groans, "oh God, please stop Haz," he turns to face Zayn, "he wears skin tight leggings when he dances, it's sinful."_

_Zayn scrunches his nose up in distaste, "ew, please, I'm eating."_

_Both Harry and Louis laugh and Liam and him look at their best friends with disgusted faces as they share a kiss. And as happy as Zayn is to see Louis glowing, he really doesn't want Louis to flaunt his new relationship in his face while he's eating._

_"Okay, okay. That's enough."_

_Zayn laughs and turns towards Liam and after they've finished laughing, they just stare at each other. Caught in each others gaze, probably in each other's beauty. And while the dancer and the nurse are in their own little world, the radiologist and other dancer look on with knowing smirks._

_The hour goes too quick for Zayn's liking, but soon, he and Louis head back to the hospital. Zayn says bye to Liam and tells him it was great to see him again and he stands at the table like a fucking idiot while Louis tries to pull himself away from Harry's lips. God, they'll be married in six months, he thinks._

_-x-_

_Liam watches Zayn leave the cafe and when Zayn is out of the door and past the window, Liam drops his head on the table so it bangs. And he bangs his head again and again until Harry speaks._

_"It's not that bad Li." Harry sighs._

_"Not that bad?" Liam speaks to the table. "I'm a fucking chicken shit, all I wanted was his number and I couldn't even ask him."_

_"I'm sure Louis would get it for you." Harry says, before he tacks on, “I could give it to you?"_

_Liam scoffs in annoyance before he picks his head up and looks at his best friend. "No, I want to ask him myself, it makes me look even more chicken shit if I ask Louis to get it for me, and it’ll be weird if I called him and he asked how I got his number, and I said that you gave it to me." Liam rolls his eyes._

_Harry laughs and takes a sip of whatever he's drinking. "Why don't you go to the hospital and ask him and then ask him to your performance?"_

_Liam lets out an indignant laugh as he throws his head back, making a few other people in the quiet cafe look at him weirdly. "Yeah, that's a good idea." Liam quips sarcastically, which Harry rolls his eyes out. "Dude, I can hardly breathe when he's sitting across from me, how can I dance knowing he's in the audience?"_

_Harry is stupid and his brain is turning into goo because of the love coursing through his veins. "Jeez, calm down mate, it was just a suggestion. And sarcasm doesn't suit you."_

_Liam sighs, "he's so amazing! He's talented, he's a nurse, we love the same things, and he's a nurse," Liam ignores Harry pointing out he said Zayn is a nurse twice. "And he's just so pretty and ugh, I'm a fucking pussy."_

_-x-_

_"Just don't tell him you're gonna be there, okay?" Harry tells him over lunch the day before Liam's performance._

_"Why?” Zayn is sitting across from his best friends boyfriend on his hour break. Louis' break isn't for another half hour, apparently, radiology has been busy all morning, so Zayn decided to go to the cafe and meet with Harry instead. Zayn takes a sip from his drink and waits for Harry to answer his vague question._

_Harry lets out a laugh, "because he doesn't think he'll be able to concentrate if he knows you're in the audience."_

_Zayn blushes to the tips of his ears. "I-I didn't know I had that kinda affect on someone."_

_And to be honest, he's a little happy about it. Knowing that someone can't be in the right head space while he's around makes him feel really good, and the fact that it's happening with Liam makes it even better._  
"Oh trust me, you do." Harry smiled as he takes a sip of his cold beverage.  
-x-  
Liam is wearing pair of baggy crotched jeans, a ripped t-shirt and a snap back on his head. He has one sock on, which he has folded down so only his toes and a quarter of his foot is covered. He's stretching when Harry comes up to him, wearing a massive smile. He's wearing tights and nothing else, so his tattoo's are on full display and he knows Louis is in the audience and he can safely say, the radiologist will be busting out of his pants. 

_"Ready Payno?"_

_Liam nods his head and smiles wide. He is so happy he gets to do his routine, his ankle still has a minor ache, but the swelling has gone down and he can walk without limping, so he's one happy dancer. Plus Andy had said he was good to go, and Liam literally danced all the way to the studio so he could practice. It felt so good to dance, especially with the consent from his physiotherapist, because if he went behind Andy’s back, he would of felt immensely guilty._

_"Let's do this!!"_

_-x-_

_Zayn rolls his eyes when he looks over at Louis. The twenty two year old is wide eyed, his tongue is hanging out and he's practically drooling over Harry who is now on stage, dancing. Harry's eyes are closed as he listens to the music, getting completely lost in the beat as he moves across the floor._

_With the way that Louis is acting, it's like he's never seen Harry's body before, and actually, maybe he hasn't._

_Zayn knows what it was like with Louis' ex. He has scars on his thighs and on his stomach from where his cunt of an ex had burned him using the cherry of a cigarette. Louis is very insecure about the way he looks, and he believed everything his ex told him, but maybe tonight, Louis will finally allow Harry to be with him in a way that used to be painful and sickening for Louis to even think of._

_"He's amazing, fuck, he's stunning. I think I love him."_

_Zayn chuckles and nods his head. But when Harry finishes and after Harry takes his bow and looks at Louis with a blinding smile, the announcer calls him off before the announcer calls Liam Payne._

_Zayn's heart beat picks up and he sits straighter in his chair and leans forward a little, wanting to see all of Liam. He hopes the dancer won’t see him, but the lights are so bright, he probably won’t. A heavy bass beat comes in through the speakers and Zayn's mouth falls open when Liam starts to move with the music._

_"Jesus Christ." He mutters to himself._

_-x-_

_When the show is over, Louis grabs Zayn's hand and pulls him towards backstage where the dancers are. The show was amazing, Liam, Harry and Niall were in two group dances and they watched Niall dance and Zayn winced in sympathy when he saw Niall wince a few times while doing a break dance move, obviously his shoulder was still hurting, Zayn makes a note to tell him he needs to come for a check up, and actually so does Liam. Zayn's breathing is quickening and his heart is thumping in his chest and his palms are sweating as they weave their way through the people backstage. He's nervous. Maybe it's because Liam doesn't know he's here, and the thought of Liam being annoyed is what is making his hands shake._

_They make it backstage and Louis wastes no time in running towards Harry and jumping into the dancers arms. Harry beams and circles his arms around Louis' waist and holds him there while nuzzling his face into Louis' neck. "You were so amazing Haz, like seriously amazing, I couldn't take my eyes off of you."_

_Harry blushes and giggles, "thank you." And then he kisses Louis sweetly, and Zayn hears Louis hum into the kiss, completely content in Harry's arms._

_Zayn smiles at them sweetly before noticing Liam isn't with him. So he turns around and looks around the room and spies him talking to a pretty brunette. He takes a deep breath and walks over to him. He taps Liam on the shoulder once he's standing behind the dancer and when Liam turns around, to say the dancer is shocked would be an understatement._

_"Zayn?"_

_"Surprise?"_

_Liam blinks, like Zayn is some kind of hallucination, but when he comes to the realisation that Zayn is standing in front of him and wasn't a figure of his imagination, a smile made its way on to his face and he engulfed the nurse into a massive hug._

_Zayn giggled and wrapped his arms around Liam's neck, happy Liam wasn't freaking out. "I guess you're happy to see me then?"_

_Liam nods and unwraps himself from Zayn and if Zayn was telling the truth, he was a little disappointed. "Of course. Did you just get here?"_

_Zayn bites his lip, "uh, no.” He scrubs a hand at the back on his neck sheepishly. “I've been here since the start."_

_Liam's eyes widen, face flushing. "Oh God, you were in the audience?"_

_Zayn nods his head, "I hope that's okay? I mean, Harry told me not to tell you I was going to be here."_

_Liam's face hardens, lips in a thin line and his eyes narrow to where Harry is standing with his arms wrapped around Louis' waist as he talks to their dance crew members, "I'm gonna kill that curly haired romantic!"_

_Zayn laughs, "you, er, you were amazing, by the way! I hope your ankle didn't give you too much trouble?"_

_Liam shakes his head, "no, it's fine. I'm just happy that I got to dance. And thank you."_

_Zayn smiles and is about to keep the conversation going but he's interrupted by Louis, who is bouncing on his heels, thrumming with excitement. "So, a bunch of us are going out tonight. You're in, right?"_

_Zayn glances at Liam quickly before nodding his head. Louis squeals in delight and then rushes over to Harry. Zayn shakes his head fondly before looking back at Liam with a shy smile. "You're going to come, right?"_

_Liam nods his head, "yeah, of course."_

_Zayn smiles, hugs and congratulates Liam once again on his performance before going to find Louis to tell him he's going home. Louis nods his head, tells Zayn he'll be at his place at nine before giving Harry his undivided attention. Zayn rolls his eyes and walks away and with one more look at Liam, who's talking to the pretty brunette again, he sighs and walks away._

_-x-_

_"Wow Li, you weren't kidding when you said he was pretty." Sophia giggles, before taking a sip from her water bottle._

_Liam laughs and lets out a wistful sigh. "I know right. I think I love him."_

_Sophia scoffs, "babe, you barely know him and you don't have his number."_

_Liam shrugs, "yeah, but tonight, I'm taking him to bed; you know what I'm like when I'm tipsy." It’s true, Liam has a lot of self confidence when he has a good amount of alcohol in his system, and talking to pretty boys is easier than when he’s sober. I guess why they call it ‘liquid courage.’_

_Sophia laughs and they both walk over to where Harry and Louis are. "Did you get his number this time?" Are the first words out of Harry's mouth. He has a dopey smile on his face and his arm is still wrapped around Louis' waist._

_Sophia laughs, "of course he didn't Haz, he's a pussy."_

_"Heeeeey! You're supposed to be my best friend."_

_Harry makes a scandalised noise. Liam looks over at him and laughs at the hurt look on his face. "I can have more than one best friend Haz."_

_Harry, Louis, and Sophia all proceed to give him shit about being a pussy, and then they tuck their fists into their armpits and begin to flap them around while impersonating a chicken. Liam walks away with a indignant pout and decides he needs new friends._

_-x-_

_Zayn is working on his fifth vodka and Redbull and he has a pleasant buzz coursing through his veins. Liam is curled over a short guy with one hand supporting his weight on the wall, they guy has blonde hair and a wide smile and Zayn thinks his eyes are blue, basically the complete opposite of Zayn. Zayn is scowling at them over the rim of his glass. Liam hasn't spoken to him directly since earlier on in the day, and it's driving Zayn crazy not having Liam's attention._

_“Why is he doing that?” Zayn slurs over the music into Louis' ear._

_Zayn looks over to Louis when he doesn't get a reply. He frowns when he sees Louis in Harry's lap, grinding his crotch down into Harry's fifthly. Zayn rolls his eyes and looks back at Liam, who's still curled over the blonde. He narrows his eyes even more and decides to take drastic measures. He finishes his drink in one go and looks down at his clothes, making sure they're straight before he makes his way out of the booth and towards Liam. He's wearing sinfully tight black jeans and a tight black t-shirt that clings to him, showing off the shape of his torso and how wide his shoulders are, plus it shows off his tattoo's that are littered up and down his arms._

_He makes sure he has a confident stride in his walk as he makes his way to the corner of the club. He pushes past a few bodies and soon, he's standing facing Liam's back. He takes a deep breath and slides his hand up Liam's scapular and gives his shoulder a light squeeze. Zayn waits for Liam to turn around, which he does, and Zayn makes sure he's got a smirk on his face._

_“Hey gorgeous.” Zayn makes sure his voice is low and sultry and he bats his eyelashes, he's been told his eyelashes can make guys and even girls go into a trance. He steps closer into Liam's body and reaches a hand up to run his fingers through the hair at the nape of Liam's neck and plasters on his most seductive smirk and sultry lip bite. “Wanna dance?”  
Liam licks his bottom lip and quickly looks at Zayn's lips before he nods his head, completely disregarding the blonde who has a put-out expression on his face: Zayn 1, blondie 0. Zayn grabs Liam by the hand, turns around and pulls Liam towards the middle of the dance floor. Zayn stops and pulls Liam closer to him, so Liam's chest is flush with Zayn's back. He takes Liam's hands again, and wraps them around his stomach._

_Zayn can feel Liam's chest rising and falling rapidly, and he can also feel Liam's rather large semi pressing against the crack of his bum. Zayn bites his lip, loving the fact he has that kind of power over someone. He gives an experimental move of the hips, so his pert bum grinds into Liam's crotch and he feels Liam moan in his chest and presses his hips forwards. Liam buries his head into the crook of Zayn's neck and Zayn lulls his head to the side, offering more skin so Liam can kiss there. And Zayn doesn't know how but Liam's kisses right on his sensitive spot making Zayn whimper because it's been ages since someone has kissed him there. His jeans become even more tighter than what they were.  
They dance like that, pressed against each other, grinding and panting, no space between them. They're both hard in their jeans, there's sweat collecting on their foreheads, and their clothes are sticking to them. Zayn bites his lip and thinks when he gets home, he's going to have a shower. Maybe a cold one. Maybe a cold shower with the gorgeous human standing behind him._

_“Do, do you wanna come back to mine, Zayn?”_

_Zayn's breath catches in his throat, not expecting Liam's voice in his ear, all low and slick like honey. Zayn nods his head slowly and he feels Liam press his lips against his neck before he pulls away and takes Zayn's hand, and pulls him towards the exit._

_-x-_

_“Fuck!” Zayn hisses out when Liam shoves him against his front door. Liam attacks his neck, making Zayn whine out. Zayn's head is against the door, while Liam sucks, nips and licks up the column of his throat before he peppers kisses up Zayn's jaw and kissing him on the lips, firmly._

_“Li-Leeyum, bedroom, please, I need you.”_

_Zayn feels Liam nod. It feels like he's been waiting a decade for Liam's lips on his. Zayn can feel him everywhere, if Liam kisses his neck, he can feel it in his big toe, if he nips at his collarbone, Zayn can feel it in his pinky. He's set on fire with every drag of Liam's lips and it's a fucking slice of heaven._

_They stumble their way through Liam (and Harry's) flat, before coming to a door. Liam manages to find the handle, and he opens the door, pushing Zayn inside towards the bed, where Zayn lands with a soft thud. He watches Liam through blown and hooded eyes, tracking his every movement. Zayn almost cums in his pants when he watches Liam remove his t-shirt, tossing it aside. He's ripped, massive shoulders and a six pack, showing that he dances and likes to exercise. And then Zayn's being pushed down, Liam crawling above him. Liam removes Zayn's own top, throwing it behind him. Liam lets out a breath and kisses all over Zayn's torso. Sucking and nipping as he goes._

_Zayn's back arches off the bed when Liam's hot mouth wraps around one of his nipples, tonguing at it like he's been starved. Zayn is hard in his jeans, so hard he thinks he going to bust out at any given moment. “Liam, touch me.” Liam nods his head and Zayn moans when Liam gently bites at his cock through the material of his jeans. “Jesus fucking Christ.”_

_-x-_

_Zayn wakes up laying on someone's toned chest. He blinks his eyes open slowly, ridding the traces of sleep away. There's slivers of light coming in from the dark blue curtains hanging in the windows. He sighs in contentment and turns his head, a chin comes into view. He smiles softly to himself, because he knows who chin it is, as weird as that is. He bites his lip and manoeuvres himself so his head his propped up his hand. His hangover isn't as bad as he thought it would be, which is good, because he doesn't think he could deal with a headache the size of Russia right now._

_He glides his fingers up Liam's torso, through his chest hair before circling his birthmark, which is a slightly darker shade of his own skin, and it's shaped like a love heart, and then he bops Liam on the nose once, hoping it will wake him up. No such luck. He does it a few more time, and Liam finally stirs; stretching like a cat and making a noise like one, Zayn is 100% endeared. Zayn watches Liam's eyes blink open and he turns his head, looking down at Zayn._

_Liam's eyes widen when they see him, and then a massive smile takes over his whole face. Zayn blushes, because no one has ever looked at him like that. “Good morning beautiful.” And Jesus, Zayn's heart hammers in his chest, again, no one has ever said that to him before. Zayn is in love._

_“Good morning.”_

_Liam runs his tongue over his bottom lip and Zayn follows the action, and he can't resist, he surges up and kisses Liam, hard on the lips, morning breath be damned. Liam doesn't seem to care, because he pushes into Zayn, pushing him down on the mattress to climb on top of him. He settles himself in between Zayn's legs and kisses him everywhere, and Zayn is in heaven._

_Liam pulls away and smiles at Zayn again, all teeth and bright chocolate brown eyes, his skin is glowing in the sun, “do you wanna join me in the shower?”  
And like Zayn is going to say no to that._

_-x-_

_After a few weeks of pining, Liam finally finds his balls and asks Zayn for his number. He did it when they were having breakfast, Zayn had smiled over the top of his mug of black coffee and nodded and uttered “it’s about time you asked me.” Which they both laughed at. Zayn had rattled off his number, and Liam had called him, so his own number was safely stored in Zayn’s phone. And after that, they engaged in comfortable conversation over pancakes doused in Nutella and bananas. Soon after, Zayn had said he has to leave, because he had work, and Liam tried not to let the disappointment show on his face._

_Liam walked Zayn to the door, and immediately pushed the nurse up against the wall, and kisses him hard. Hard enough that it made Zayn’s breathing short. “So, I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me sometime?”_

_“Nah.” Zayn says._

_Liam’s mouth drops, disappointment crawling up his throat because what? But then Zayn bursts out in laughter, head thrown back and eyes closed. Liam nips at his neck in retaliation. “You fucker.”_

_“Of course I will Li, just text me when yeah?” And with one quick peck to Liam’s lips, Liam watched Zayn bound down the hall and down the stairs._

_-x-_

_Zayn spends all day thinking of Liam. Liam’s lips against his skin, Liam inside of him, LiamLiamLiam. And Zayn loves it. He has pip to his walk all day, he’s happy and fucked good. He can't believe how Liam was in bed, seriously. He had never been done like that, no one had ever hit that spot and worked him so good. And he can still feel him, in other words, it’s like he has a new lease of life._

_“What has you so giddy?” Perrie asks when they’re all in the staff room on their break._

_Zayn hasn’t stopped smiling. He shrugs at Perrie’s question and looks back to his phone. Texting Liam back, Liam is teaching five year olds and Zayn imagines it in his head, Liam with a massive smile on his face as he teaches kids new steps, and then laughing when they try their best but still don’t quite have it._

_“Oh Pez, you didn’t hear?” Louis says. Zayn rolls his eyes, typical of Louis to speak for him. “Zayn finally got laid.”_

_The whole room ‘oohs’ and Zayn blushes. “Ankle-man finally drilled you did he?”_

_Zayn snaps his head up at Jade and Louis and Perrie laugh at his reaction._

_“Jade!” He admonishes._

_“I’ll take that as a yes Malik.” She says as she stands, smug smile on her face as she leaves the room, coffee in hand._

_“So,” Louis starts, “how was he?”_

_Zayn doesn’t want to answer that. Liam would be mortified. And so would he. “Fine.” And that’s all his nosy friends are getting._

_-x-_

_Their date happens the following weekend, and it’s not exactly what Zayn was expecting, but he loves it anyway. Liam had a recital he had to be at, and after is the only time he has because his schedule is crazy. Zayn had accepted his offer of going, wanting to see Liam in his element. And he’s not going to say no to spending more time with Liam either.  
It had started off at the dance studio. Zayn had sat in the corner while Liam gave the rundown of the show. He told them to have fun and it doesn’t matter if they made a mistake because “practice makes perfect.” Zayn’s heart soared._

_“Mr Liam?” A little girl says. Zayn giggles, “Mr Liam” that’s the cutest thing he’s ever heard. She’s looks about five, with curly brown hair and blue eyes._

_“Yes Isabella?”_

_“Who’s that?” She asks politely pointing towards Zayn._

_Liam follows her finger and smiles when he sees Zayn, sitting on the floor. Zayn smiles, blush dusting his cheeks. “That’s Zayn.”_

_“Mr Zayn?” Oh God, Zayn’s heart is going to explode; he can’t wait to have kids. “Is he a dancer?”_

_Liam shakes his head, “no, he’s a nurse; he helps people get better in the hospital.” Liam states proudly, “he helped me get better when I injured my ankle.” He tacks on.  
Her eyes widen, “really?” She turns to Zayn, a gorgeous smile on her face, “that’s very good of you Mr Zayn.”_

_Zayn giggles, “thank you Isabella.”_

_She blushes and then turns towards Liam again, “is he your boyfriend?”_

_It catches them both off guard. Liam looks at Zayn, lip caught between his teeth. There’s a silent question in his eyes. Zayn smiles, big, as big as he can to reassure Liam that yes, he would like very much a lot to be Liam’s boyfriend. Liam breaks out into a massive grin, “yes Isabella, Zayn is my boyfriend. And he’ll be there tonight.”  
They all clap and have on final run through before the parents turn up. Telling Liam they’ll see him later. The room empties, and then it’s just Liam and Zayn. Zayn removes himself from the ground and walks towards the dancer. _

_“Hello boyfriend, you’re great with kids, did you know that?”_

_Liam blushes and smiles, “do you know how beautiful you are?”_

_Zayn rolls his eyes but leans up and kisses Liam softly. “So, wanna teach me some moves?”_

_Liam giggles, “how about this?” And Liam takes out a remote, hits play and Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud comes flitting through the speakers. Zayn loves this song, and Liam knows too, and he wonders how long Liam has been planning this._

_“Wedding song.” They both say at the same time, and then they laugh before coming together. Zayn’s hands go around Liam’s neck and Liam’s arms hook around Zayn’s waist. They connect their foreheads, and start to sway to the music. Getting lost in the song. Zayn’s eyes flutter close, letting out a content sigh, but when he opens them again, Liam is looking at him, with something that Zayn thinks he feels but it’s too early to actually say it. So Zayn just leans up and connects their lips. And it’s a perfect start to a date._

_-x-_

_The recital is so much fun. Liam stays backstage, but he keeps Zayn updated via texts. He watches the kids have fun, and at the end of the show, they bring Liam out so he can take a bow. Zayn claps along with the parents, smile never leaving his face. Soon, he makes his way back stage and finds Liam, hugging him and congratulating him and the kids around his on a good performance._

_“So, wanna grab a bite to eat?”_

_Zayn nods his head and waits for Liam to grab his things before the head out, hand in hand. Liam shouts his goodbyes and tells the kids to keep practicing and that he’ll see them on Tuesday._

_They make there was to Liam’s car, a beat up but working Nissan Pulsar. They climb in and Liam starts driving. Zayn has no idea where they’re going, but he’s with Liam so he doesn't care. The keep driving but soon, Liam is pulling into a empty car park. Zayn frowns and looks at him in confusion, but Liam just smiles at him and gets out of the car after killing the engine._

_Zayn follows suit, and soon, Liam is by his side, taking his hand and is dragging him into the darkness. But it doesn't stay dark for long, because soon, Zayn sees something that never in a million years did he ever think he’ll see._

_There’re fairy lights hanging precariously in a tree, and below the tree, there’s a picnic blanket, candles and a basket. Zayn bites his lip and nearly dies, this is so romantic.  
“I know it isn’t-” but Zayn cuts him off by barrelling into him, and kissing him quiet. _

_Zayn pulls away, “no one has ever done this for me before, so it’s perfect; more perfect that a restaurant or a takeaway Chinese sitting in front of the telly. Thank you Liam.”  
Liam just smiles and kisses him again before the make there way over to the blanket. Zayn has never been so happy in his life, for real. It’s him, Liam, the stars, and the moon, and everything is perfect._

_-x-_

_Liam says it first._

_Well, there’s a show leading up to it. It’s been six months since Liam and Zayn have been together, and even though their lives are busy, they still find the time for each other, and in that time, they make the most of it. The both have jobs, and Liam also has classes on top of that. But they make it work._

_It starts when Zayn wakes up at two in the morning. He has a early shift at the hospital. He does his routine of showering, eating breakfast and checking his Facebook. He gets dressed into his scrubs and is about to leave when his phone goes off._

__“Have a great day at work, I’ll see ya later boo. X x x x”_ _

_Zayn smiles and texts back._

_-x-_

_He’s halfway through his shift when he walks in. But not ‘he’ as in Liam. ‘He’ as in a man who’s carrying a massive bouquet of roses. Zayn rolls his eyes, thinking Jade or Perrie or one of the other girls has a new doting partner. So when the guy says “delivery for Zayn Malik?” Zayn’s heart jumps into his throat and he blushes, darker than the colour of the roses._

_“That-that’s me.” Zayn mutters, walking to the guy and taking the flowers off him. Zayn takes them to his desk, ignores the cooing noises of his work colleagues and places the down. He burries his nose in one of them, roses are is favourite and he knows who they’re from. He plucks the card from the stick that hold it and reads: _“Thinking of you always and forever. ~ Your Liam. x x x” ____

__Zayn bites his lip and quickly pulls his phone out. He taps out a message, _“I love the roses, thank you baby x x x.” ___And hits send before he puts his phone back, takes one last look before he goes and does his rounds. He has two hours left of his twelve hour shift, and he’ll finally be able to spend the night with his boyfriend. Thank God the roses are in water._ _

___-x-_ _ _

___When Zayn gets out of his car, roses in hand, he makes his way to his foyer and does a double take. There are rose petals scattered over the tile and they lead to the front desk. Zayn frowns and follows them. He finds a yellow post-it note on the desk. He plucks it off the wood and reads it:_ _ _

____“Every time I send you a text, I hope I find a way to make you smile and make your day the best that it can be.” ____ _ _

____Zayn giggles, the text Liam sent him this morning. He puts it on the box with the water in it, and walks to the lift, all the while, following more rose petals. He hits the up button and waits before entering. He once again, comes across a yellow post-it note:_ _ _ _

_____“Every time I’m thinking about you, I realize I’m smiling from ear to ear and can’t seem to stop.” ____ _ _ _

_____The card that came with the roses. Zayn bites his lip and plucks it from the elevator wall and puts it with the other one. The door dings when his floor comes up and again, when the door opens, there’re more rose petals that lead straight to his door. He follow them, but stops when there’s another yellow post-it note in the middle of the floor. He bends down and un-sticks it before reading:_ _ _ _ _

______“Whenever I’m with you, I simply feel happy for no other reason than I am at peace in your presence.” ____ _ _ _ _

______This is the most romantic thing Liam has ever done. And he likes to think he’s the only person to have seen this side of Liam. He keeps walking, following the rose petals to his door. And he grins when he sees another yellow post-it note:_ _ _ _ _ _

_______“Whenever you’re in my arms, time stands still; everyone has a love story, but ours in the best.” ____ _ _ _ _ _

_______Zayn plucks it from the door and puts it with the others before entering. And he comes face to face with Liam. Who has a massive smile on his face, but also there’s a blush dusting his cheeks. Zayn places his roses on the coffee table, removes his bag and coat. He’s still in his scrubs but he has a feeling they’ll be discarded shortly._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______“Hi.” Zayn says, walking into Liam’s space._ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______Liam smiles, and leans down, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. “Hi.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______Zayn watches him bite his lip. “So, this is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______Liam giggles, “I’m glad, and there’s plenty more where that came from, but there’s one more note.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______Zayn raises an eyebrow and spots the rose petals leading to his bedroom. He pecks Liam on the nose and follows them. He steps into his bedroom, and gasps. There’re candles lit, creating a warm romantic glow. There’re rose petals scattered over the bed, and a single red rose sits on the bed, near a box and a yellow post-it note. He walks towards his bed and plucks the rose up, bringing it to his lips and smiling before reading the note:_ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“I could not imagine a life without the two of us together.” ____ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Zayn smiles softly and turns around, and Liam is standing there. He walks towards Zayn, leans to the bed and wraps his fingers around the box. He doesn’t get down on one knee, but Zayn’s heart still leaps into his throat and his breathing becomes laboured._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“It’s a promise.” Liam says before opening the box. There’s a ring, a simple silver band. Zayn smiles and looks into Liam’s chocolate brown eyes. He smiles back, and before Zayn can say anything Liam says, “I love you, Zayn.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Without hesitation, Zayn says, “I love you too.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________And then there meet half way, connecting their lips together. It’s a perfect way to end the day. In the arms of a boy he met six months ago, whom he fell in love with in the space of three hours. Never in a million years did he think his life would end up like this. Falling in love so quick, so quick that if he blinked, he would of missed it. But having the boy he fell in love with love him back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________-x-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________FIN._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading; I hope it didn't suck. The ending is probably lame, but I like it. Comment and kudos, and come say hello to me on my Tumblr: @suicidaltomlinson


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